Chief Administrative Services Officer Bobby Silva reported a modest hiring update and presented recent personnel and budget figures to the board.

Silva said the agency hired two new support staff since the last meeting—one in appellate operations and one due to start soon in the inland office—and that nine recruitments remain pending, including a bilingual Spanish position in appellate operations. He told the board the Bay Area offices are having difficulty filling entry-level technician positions and are pursuing seasonal clerks as a stopgap to provide experience for future full-time hires.

Silva reported the agency’s retention rate for fiscal year 2024–25 was 86%, consistent with the six-year average. He said the department had just received internal categorized budget ceilings and that the board would be presented with a proposed budget for adoption at the September meeting. Silva reported the position authority at 567.9 positions and a budget ceiling of about $107,000,000 for the fiscal year, figures he said are drawn from the state governor’s June budget materials and internal allocations.

Board members asked whether the agency’s retention compares to other state entities and whether Bay Area hiring problems reflect statewide trends. Silva said he would research comparative retention data and noted that the difficulty in the Bay Area appears driven by local cost-of-living and recruitment dynamics.

No budget adoption occurred at the meeting; Silva said the board would consider the proposed budget in September after staff review.